Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Tsongas backs SCHIP expansion; Ogo apparently doesn’t

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Just in from Tsongas Tcentral:

“Millions of Americans, including 9 million children, don’t have access to health care.  Millions more can’t afford the plans they have. Yet President Bush says he’ll veto the Children’s Health Insurance Program that provides health insurance for millions of children and Mr. Ogonowski is in lockstep with the Bush administration.  We cannot let that happen.  I strongly support expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program that will reach out to an additional 42,000 Massachusetts children who are eligible for coverage but remain uninsured, and, if I’m elected, I’ll vote to get them covered. 

“Jim Ogonowski, on the other hand, has made his position clear:  he opposes expansion of the SCHIP program and he will join Congressional Republicans in preventing an override of President Bush’s veto of the legislation.  For voters who want to see change and progress in Washington, it’s clear it won’t come with Mr. Ogonowski.”

The vote on SCHIP is important, and the vote in the House to override Bush’s expected veto could be close.  So here’s a nice clear choice for the “independents” up in MA-05, a lot of whom apparently like Mr. Ogonowski.  You want more kids to have health coverage?  Vote for Tsongas.  You want to leave them to their own devices?  Ogo’s your man.  Nice and easy.

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  1. Just wondering if Ogonowski has plans to graciously attend the funerals of every MA-05 child who will die from lack of medical care?

    • Just wondering if Tsongas has plans to graciously atttend the funerals of every MA-05 child without SCHIP or other medical insurance who will die from lack of medical care?

       

       

      I like Tsongas' position better than Ogonowski's in this case — but she's got a long way to go on health care coverage methinks, SCHIP notwithstanding.

    • Considering that the SCHIP expansion is principally aimed at poverty level x 300%, and considering that MassHealth coverage goes up to 300%, then SCHIP, even if expanded, won't cover any additional children in MA-05. 

      But, nice strawman strawchild anyway.

       

        • He's running for Federal office.  You're the one who brought up MA-05 children, the effect of which SCHIP expansion is nil.

           The Federal question, is why should middle class taxpayers pay for families earning upwards toward $72,000 for their children's health insurance.  The SCHIP program expansion does nothing for improving the health of the needy, it's merely a middle class expansion/subsidy.

           

           

            • The MassHealth system:

               Massachusetts:  We're Mass. We're Blue.  We want all kids in the state covered and will pay for families up to about $60K through a combo of Medicare, MassHealth, and Mass Choice.

              Federal Government:  We'll fund the Medicare system and Mass Health and increase your SCHIP Subpart F state payments.  Hmmm…looks like you're paying for families earning $60K.  Whew that's expensive.

              Massachusetts:  Ok, true. But, it's our money, our choice.

              Federal Governmente: writes a check.

              Massachusetts:  Er…you're right.  It's expensive.  Can we have some more?  Because otherwise, those people earning $60K won't get coverage, AND WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT … THEMSELVES!  Quick! A vigil! Please Federal Goverment.  Give us more money.

              Ogonowski: no

              Tsongas: yes.

                • Tsongas: The Children,

                  Ogonowski: The Children? What about them?

                  Tsongas: It's all about them.

                  Ogonowski: Them?

                  Tsongas: Them.

                  Ogonowski: Not about the taxpayers.

                  Tsongas: Them too.

                  Ogonowski: There's only 2?

                  Tsongas:   Vote for me.

                   

      • to sustain the program.  Let's really talk about what's going on.  Without the SCHIP dollars the state will have trouble adding children that are up to 250% of the poverty level, nevermind 300%.

        • In massachusetts, 300% poverty is a family earning $56,550.  As a matter of platform, Mr. Ogonowski contends that a family at that income level should purchase insurance, or, if the state seeks to deliver free coverage by expanding Medicaid, then of course the State's free to do so, on the State's dime, not the Federal government's.

          BTW, under the Mass Connector policies, the approximate cost to cover that 301 % poverty family's two children is about $3,600 per year.

          Is it a reasonable position to believe that that 301% poverty family can pay $3600 per year for the health of their kids?  Apparently Ogonowski believes it is.

          Also BTW, there are about 82,000 uninsured children in Massachusetts, most of which would be covered under an existing plan (i.e. SCHIP, Medicaid, Medicare) if the parent or guardian were educated and motivated to sign them up.  SCHIP expansion will reach into the middle class as a subsidy, but will do nothing to address the uninsured-and-otherwise-qualifying that are currently receiving no coverage but are entitled to it.

  2. Maybe there is a reason why he doesn't have a health care plan link to his web site, or any other kind of plan for that matter.  This “Aw shucks, I'm runnin' for Congress” crap can only last for so long.  The SCHIP program works, the results are clear.  Why in the world would Ogonowski take this extreme view?  Maybe we know already.

    Let's for a minute pretend to be Ogonowski and not care about sick children in the state that he hopes to represent.  Let's just go over some facts and let me pose a question.

    BYU has a study that determined that SCHIP which provided children with preventive care and the ability to go to a primary care provider on minor health issues found that the SCHIP program actually saved more than $2000 per child.  Children not under the SCHIP program is less likely to go to routine doctor visits or a clinic.   Children were 21% more likely to go to the ER when having health issues.

    So here's some quick math:

     $2000 * 48000 uninsured children = $84,000,000

    The question:  Would you support a person who believes

    a) We should pay an additional $84 million to have more sick children in the state

    b) Providing better care for children in the state while saving $84 million

    • Ogonowski on SCHIP:

       

      The recent passage of the SCHIP bill is nothing but another illustration of the business-as-usual mentality down in Washington. Congress has failed us in recent years on so many issues, from comprehensive immigration reform to finding an energy policy that works for America. Instead of fixing a broken system, Congress continues to pass bills that are bad for America.SCHIP was originally intended to help poor children. Instead Congress worked to expand another big-government program that actually harms those working class children and families it was supposed to help.

      What Congress has done with SCHIP is take a bill that was originally intended to help poor, uninsured children – those who need us the most – and then fill it with reckless spending, cuts to our seniors, and benefits to people who have broken the laws of the United States.

      Increasing SCHIP funding so that families making up to $72,000 can have free coverage for their kids, does nothing for the truly needy families, who are already covered.

      • GOP talking points aside, is he insane?  I know I read an op-ed by JudyAnn Bigby recently discussing the impact on adding more children within the state.

  3. Let's not distort facts.  Here is what Jim had to say on that.

    Counterpoint: Out-of-touch  Congress is wrong again

     

    Jim Ogonowski

     

    The recent passage of the SCHIP  bill is nothing but another illustration of the business-as-usual mentality  down in Washington. Congress has failed us in recent years on so many issues,  from comprehensive immigration reform to finding an energy policy that works  for America. Instead of fixing a broken system, Congress continues to pass  bills that are bad for America.

     

    SCHIP was originally intended to  help poor children. Instead Congress worked to expand another big-government  program that actually harms those working class children and families it was  supposed to help. We all support helping poor children and families, but  government seems unable to help those who need us. When I helped organize the  largest airlift of aid in New Hampshire National Guard history to the victims  of Hurricane Katrina, I saw firsthand how big government programs like FEMA  don't work for the American people.

     

    What bothers me the most is the  benefits SCHIP gives to illegal immigrants. My great-grandmother emigrated  from Poland in 1904; widowed and with four children. She settled in the  Merrimack Valley and had very little. America should continue to be the  beacon of hope for the world and welcome immigrants. But they must come here  legally. I do not support amnesty for illegal immigrants. Laws like the SCHIP  bill send the wrong message that our immigration laws are made to be broken,  and that it's OK to come here illegally. That is just plain wrong and unfair  to American families who depend on those benefits to survive.

     

    The influx of illegal immigration,  first and foremost, has strained our schools and hospitals. This bill opens  the door for illegal immigrants to apply for Medicaid, because it removes  requirements to show identification when applying. Since we have no idea how  many illegal immigrants are actually in our country, we have no way of  knowing the costs or likely decrease in the quality of care for our children  and elderly. In fact, we will probably not know the damage this bill causes  in its current form for many years, because Congress is not required to  review the bill on a regular basis.

     

    What Congress has done with SCHIP  is take a bill that was originally intended to help poor, uninsured children  – those who need us the most – and then fill it with reckless spending, cuts  to our seniors, and benefits to people who have broken the laws of the United  States.

      We need a revolution of new ideas  down in Washington – a national vision. When my kids were born, I gave them  the vision that they were going to go to college and we've achieved that  goal. We don't seem to have a national vision anymore. Congress is too  focused on partisan bickering and rewarding those who break the rules. As a  lifelong farmer, I recognize manure when I smell it, and the people of the  Merrimack Valley should be angry that our leaders in Washington are now  shoveling it.

     

    • SCHIP doesn't work because of FEMA.  Then, whoever smelt it dealt it.  Great, can't see why he doesn't get 100% of the vote.

      • the main point is the SCHIP legislation takes money from seniors and gives it to illegal immigrant children without asking for ID.   Plain and simple.  That is what Jim is against. He is not against healthcare for poor children.  He is against illegal immigrants sucking money from the law abiding tax paying citizens of this country, and especially taking money away from senior citizens to do it.

         

    • That’s really one of the worst op-ed pieces I’ve read in quite some time.  Even if I lived in MA-05, I’d never consider voting for a Republican in Congress because of the question of electing the Speaker etc., but I was certainly willing to give Ogo a chance to prove that he’s not just a clown clone.

      <

      p>
      Alas, he failed that one.  But thanks for posting!

  4. The real reason Ogonowski doesn't support S-CHIP. A comment from his press release on the passage of the bill: “Included in the SCHIP Bill is legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to access government health benefits. This is flat wrong. This is another example of how our broken congress has failed the American people. Illegal immigrants have broken the law of the United States and Congress has yet again sent a message saying that it is ok to do so. It's time to end the business as usual mentality in congress and its free giveaway's to illegal immigrants that undermine our laws and costs the taxpayers.”Isn't it an odd appropriation of concerns when a potential candidate would vote to deny health coverage to millions of American children for fear that an illegal immigrant might benefit from the program?  To me, that's just insane.

    • Doesn't it bother you at all that the expansion of SCHIP reaches so high?

       Forget immigrant issues.  The expansion of SCHIP covers families earning up to $60K in Mass and up to $72K in certain other geographic areas of the US.

      Data point:  In mass, the average spending per capita on the lottery is $774 per year.  Insurance is available for a kid at a cost of $1800 per year.

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